HGTV Star Ty Pennington Says He's Doing 'Much Better' 2 Years After Health Scare: 'That Was So Crazy'

Ty Pennington is on the up and up — nearly two years after suffering a health scare when a throat abscess caused his airway to close, leading to a medical emergency where he was brought to the ICU for emergency surgery.

"That was so crazy. It's one of those freak things that could happen to anybody, but it's crazy how risky it was. It definitely shed light on how important it is to stay healthy for others. I am definitely on top of that, and I am taking care of myself. When you have pets in your life, you're happier and you take better care of yourself," the 60-year-old, who has teamed up with PetSmart Charities for Pet Hunger Awareness Day (September 30) to make sure families don’t have to make the heartbreaking choice between feeding themselves or their pets, exclusively tells OK!.

At the time of the health issue, the HGTV star "had no idea" what was happening, but luckily, he touched upon an important topic.

"I got so much attention!" he quips. "You really find out how much people love. I was like, 'This is great, people care!' I am much better, and I'm around to take care of everybody else. Who would have guessed the hyperactive kid would be the one looking after everybody else? That's the beauty of life — there are curveballs!"

These days, the Trading Spaces alum, who rose to fame in the '00s, is in "denial" of his age. "I certainly don't act feel it or act like it!" he shares. "The thing about TV is that you can't force anything — what's meant to come will come to you. I love what I am doing now. I'm the old guy that has been doing it forever. I still get to keep my sense of humor, and I love working with people and being able to lend a hand up to the next generation."

"I used to be a graphic designer, and then this lady who hired me let me design logos. I did them in 30 minutes. I proved myself quickly. There's just something about getting a chance to prove yourself. If I can help shine a light on some of the new people coming up because some people take it way too seriously, and you've got to have fun while you're doing it," he adds. "The more authentic you are, that's the trick. That's what people want. I love shows like Rock the Block because they have to bring their A-game. I can criticize because I'm not in the competition myself. It's great to be judgy! We've got a new season coming up, which is going to be insane. We have lots of fun stuff coming up."

Pennington is happier than ever these days due to his pets, Dory and Phoebe, which is why it was important for him to collab with PetSmart Charities for Pet Hunger Awareness Day (September 30) to make sure families don’t have to make the heartbreaking choice between feeding themselves or their pets. Together with Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America, PetSmart Charities has already provided more than 400 million pet meals, and the TV personality is helping spread the word so even more families can stay together.

"I am a proud dad to two fur babies, and I found both of them. They are rescues, and I found them through PetSmart Charities. These guys do great things. I don't think a lot people realize how much of a struggle it is out there. There's households out there living with food insecurity, so pet hunger is a real thing. We see pictures of either malnutrition dogs and nothing breaks your heart more. I love the fact that they can make it so easy for all of us to help. When you go to checkout, you can donate right there. I love the fact that anybody who's had a pet, you need to help your community. There's this undeniable love between a person and their dog," he gushes.

Pennington, who is married to Kellee Merrell, feels like he's become a "real dad" to his furry friends.

"You care about their health and what they eat and their diet. Veterinary costs are constantly going up, and so luckily, I can afford to take care of my dogs, but there are a lot of families out there that struggle. That's why Charities for Pet Hunger Awareness Day is an important day," he shares, adding that his connection with his pups is "priceless."

"We create our own language. That's the thing about pets — when they see you, it's like, 'Where have you been?' When you've only been gone for 45 minutes, they act like you've been away for three days. Humans aren't like that," he adds. "These creatures make our lives better."